Wringer



s. E. sciHRoEDER WRINGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 23, 1941 u W d1 o d 6 5 T e N m m im T, J m OMV, m m. m m f NS.. n wm. 0 u .W mm, Lw? qw M W mw a m r VIVHMIINFLJIII Q QQ v Qms w QN l mo www J 1|| h n QW( NM. 0 mw!! .mw )ww @QW n l ,s S v mm Wil KQ NV ri. ---RV @Smq mm. -1 m .n QM; Q N Mf\\ n l n ww n Q m Y qw bw .x

June 8, 1948# s. ESCHROEDER WRINGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug.. 23, 1941 A n a W N` w MKM W7 m mf, j m 6 n;

lllllll June 8, 1948. s. E. scHRoEDER WRINGER Original Filed Aug. 23, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 NvsNvvow 6//7/0/7 ,6T Schroedel' @zi/ Patented June 1%, 1948 WRI'NGER Simon E. Schroeder, Oshkosh, Wis., assigner to Barlow &. Seelig Manufacturingl Company, Ripon, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 23, 1941', Serial No.

408,015. Divided and this application August i 25, 1944, Serial No. 551,100

Claims.

The invention relates to wringers of the type used in connection with household laundry machines comprising wringer rolls, and has .particular reference to new and improved means for adjustably varying the spring pressure exerted on the rolls.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a wringer structure embodying novel .roll tensioning means which is sturdy in construction and readily and accurately adjustable, and which is self-acting to maintain yieldably any preselected adjustment.

Another object is to provide a new and improved adjustable spring tensioning means which comprises an adjustable abutment member, and an intermediate detent member in yieldable latched engagement with the abutment member and adapted for engagement with the spring for the wringer rolls, and which is mounted on a separable head section of the wringer frame and separable as a unit from the spring.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along line I-I of Fig. 3 of a wringer having a rolll tensioning means embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing details of the roll pressure adjusting means as seen from the inside of the head looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View, on an enlarged scale, through the wringer structure, and taken substantially along the irregular line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, showing details of the latch and manipulating means for the wringer head.

In general, the exemplary form of wringer structure illustrated herein embodies a frame comprised of a iiXed section or base (Fig. 1) supporting spaced upstanding end members in the nature of concealing walls or shrouds 2|.and 22 arranged for cooperation with a movable section or head 23. The base 20 carries a pair of upstanding, channel-shaped side Stiles 24 and 25, located within and concealed by the walls 2|, 22. A pair of cooperating wringer rolls 26 and 21 extend between the side stiles 24 and 25 `and are supported from the side stiles by half bearings 28 and 29 for the shaft 30 of the lower wringer roll .2G and by slidable bearing blocks 32 and 33 for the shaft 34 of the upper roll 21'. The end wall of the left-hand side stile is slotted, as at3l,

,member 22.

2 s to permit the left end f the shaft t'o extend therethrough for connection with 'the rollvdrivin'g mechanism. Rigid with the blocks 32 'and 33 are carrying plates and l36 `which extend above and beyond the upper roll and the bearing blocks and receive, through slots 38 'and 39, vthe respective ends of a leaf spring 3l`located in the head above the upper roll 21; Upon application of pressure to the central portion of the leaf spring 3l by a tensioning device (indicated generally at 40) carried by the head, operative roll pressure is established. The present invention relates primarilyf to the tensioning device 40 which is readily and conveniently adjustable to vary the-roll pressure.

The head .23 is a `generally channel-shaped member closed at its ends and longitudinally dimensioned to extend between and telescope over the end walls 2| and 22. Each of the end wallsis slightly inwardly offset at its top ,edge (as seen at 4I) to receive the head section and hold itin vertical alinement with the end walls'when the parts are established in operative relation. The end walls are smoothly rounded and the head has an arcuate contour completing the curve of the assembly.. The left-hand end wall 22 which housesthe side stile 25V is enlarged longitudinally to form a gear b'ox enclosing the reversing gearing, generally indicated at 42.

In the present Structure the wringer drive mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1, 'comprises a drive shaft 50, rotatably housed in a sleeve 5lv su'pported to depend from a boss 52 on a box frame 53 bolted or otherwise secured within the end These parts form the support by which the wringer is mounted on the washing machine. Power to drive the wringer is transmitted to the shaft by a suitable wringer drive shaft (not shown). Theshaft 50 extends axially upwardly through the box frame 53 'and is journaled atits upper end, as at 54, in the frame. The reversing Y gearing mechanism embodies a unitary arrangement of a pair of spaced gear`s.55 and 564 connected byan intermediate clutch shifting member. or collar 51.` This unit is slidably splined on the shaft 50 for rotation therewith. The extended end ofthe lower wrin'ger roll shaft 30 in the end member 22 -isconnected through va universal coupling y58-with a crown gear59'which is journaled,w as at 60, on thebox frame ,53' for selective engagement by the gears and 56."`

Means is provided yfor shifting theunitary gear assembly along the shaft 50 from a central, neutral positionto effect selective engagementy of the gear 55` or 56 withfthe crown gear 59 to drive 4 gular relationship is such that when the head is in its raised inoperative position, with the pin 80 extending through the lower ends of the angular slot portions 8|, downward movement of the brackets 11 with the head will first cam the head longitudinally to the left to engage the intertting parts 15, 16 at the right-hand end of the frame. Thereafter, the pin traverses the vertical centrically of the shaft 62 and extends generally upwardly for pivotal connection, as at 66a, with a slide 66 mounted on the box frame 53 for vertical movement. The slide carries a stud 51 adapted to engage in an annular groove 68 formed in the clutch member 51 (Fig. 1). The link 65 has an S-shaped form to insure `that when the shaft 62 is rotated by the hand lever y 63 (for instance in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3) the upward swing of the crank plate arm will act through the link 65 to shift the slide 64 upwardly and move the gear 55 into driving engagement with the gear 59. Opposite movement of the hand lever 63 produces a downward movement of the linkage to effect engagement between the gears 56 and 59. A spring pressed detent 'H impositively latches the slide 66 in its three positions (forward, neutral and reverse) by engagement in appropriately positioned notches formed therein.

In the present wringer the head section is supported for movement into and out of operative association with the base section and the structure includes means for latching the frame sections together, for applying operative pressure to the wringer rolls when the frame sections are so related and for quickly unlatching the frame sections to permit separating movement thereof, accompanied by release of the pressure from the rolls. Means is provided for separately latching the opposite ends of the head section to the base section, together with means acting to successively shift the head longitudinally or in the direction of its length to engage the latching means at one end of the frame and thereafter to draw the head section toward the base section to establish a latched engagement therebetween at the other end of the frame. At the same time the rolls are placed under operative pressure. These movements may be conveniently produced by the manipulable member for controlling the reversing gearing, the preferred arrangement including means permitting independent manipulation of the reversing gearing once the operating condition of the frame has been established.

In the embodiment illustrated, the cooperating latching means for one .end of the head and frame sections is a simple interfltting engagement between the parts, such as an internal tongue or projection 15 on the right hand end of the head (Fig. 1) and an aperture 16 in the end member 2|, these parts being engageable or disengageable upon longitudinal shifting movement of the head in one direction or the other.

For supporting and guiding the head in its longitudinal movements, a pair of brackets 11 are rigidly secured on opposite sides of the other or left end of the head (see Figs. 3 and 4) and are inwardly offset, as indicated at 18, to depend into the end member 22. These brackets 11 `are formed with generally vertically extending slots 19 which slidably receive the end portions of a pin 80 rigid with and extending transversely of the frame 53. The lower portions 8| of the slots 19 extend at an angle to the vertical or downwardly and to the left (Figs. 1 and 4). The anportions of the slot 19 to guide the head to a seated position on the end member 22 and engage the latch means at the left-hand end of the frame, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the present instance, such movement of the head 23 into operative association with the end members 2| and 22 is effected by manipulation of the gear shift lever 63 from its neutral position, as shown in Fig. 1, to drive the rolls in either direction. To this end, the crank plate 64 carries a pair of spaced antifriction rollers 82 and 83 mounted in eccentric relation to the shaft 62. These rollers are selectively moved to engage cam surfaces 84 and 85, respectively, of an actuator 86 when the shaft is rotated in one direction or the other. As seen in Fig. 3, the shifting link 65 is generally S-shaped to provide clearance recesses 66, 10 for the rollers 82 and 83, respectively. The actuator 86 is generally U- shaped to straddle the wringer post 52, and is pivotally supported at its inner ends, as by a pivot pin 81, on a bracket 88, which is rigidly secured, as at 89 (Fig. l), to the bottom of the end member 22.

A pair of upwardly extending links |0| are pivoted, as at |00, to the opposite sides of the actuator 86 and each of these links is pivotally connected at its upper end to a short link |02. The short links in turn are pivotally supported by a pin |03 rigidly carried by ears |04 formed as extensions of the brackets 11 on the head 23. By this arrangement, actuation of the handle 63 from its central inoperative position to drive the rolls in either direction will cause one of the rollers 82, 83 to depress the actuator 86 which, through the linkage |00, |0|, |02, |03 and |04 will draw the head downwardly toward and into its seated relation with the base. A pair of tension springs |05 having their respective ends secured to the actuator 86 and to pins 53a (Fig. 3) xed on end member 22` pull upwardly on the actuator and through the connecting linkage exert a force tending to hold the head in its raised and somewhat longitudinally displaced inoperative position.

The latch mechanism, employed for holding the left end of the head in its depressed, operative position, is automatically engageable as an incident to this downward movement of the head to its operative position and is releasable in an emergency by a simple quick release mechanism. At the same time, the reversing gear mechanism is returned to its neutral position as the actuator 86 is raised by the Alinkage |0|, |02 and strikes one or the other lof the rollers 82, 83 (if not in their neutral position) to return the mechanism to neutral. The instant latch mechanism includes a latch plate |06 pivotally supported on the wringer frame, as by the horizontal pin 80, to project generally upwardly therefrom, as shown best in Fig. 4. A latching member in the form of a horizontal pin |01 is rigidly secured in the head to extend generally parallel to the pin and is adapted, upon depression of the head, for latching engagement in complementary notches |08 formed in side flanges |09 of the latch plate |06. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the

margins of the notches |08 that engage the pin |01 to hold the head are formed ata slight angle so that the engagement is impositive and not selfsustaining. Above these angular margins the flanges `H30 are formed with inclined cam surfaces I l (Fig. 4) upon which the pin |01 rides to retract the latch plate for engagement with the pin |01. A spring having one end secured in the frame 53 and the other on the plate |06 is oi' sufficient strength to cause the latch plate m0 to snap into latching engagement with the pin |01 when the head has been depressed to its operative position, but is of insuiiicient strength per se to maintain the latching engagement. A holding member l2 for the latch plate is pivotally supported on the pin |03 to extend over and past the upper end of the latch plate |06, and has an intermediate shoulder H3 for engagement with the upper end of the latch plate |00when the latter is engaged with the pin |61. To maintain the operative relationship of the parts, a spring llfl, having lone end anchored in the end member 22 and the other end secured to the holding member l2, yieldably urges the latter into engagement with the latching plate |00.

The parts are maintained in this operative relation until the holding member l l2 is released. This mechanism is arranged for convenient actuation from either side of the wringer head by the user in an emergency. Thus, each side of the wringer head supports a release or impact bar (Fig. 3) projecting outwardly therefrom immediately above the upper roll. The release bars are mounted for swinging movement relative to the head by such means as pivot pins I 2| supported by ears |22 inside the head engaging arms |23 on the release bars (Figs. 3 and 4). The arms |23 at the end of the head adjoining the holding member H2 have horizontal continuations adapted to underlie and bear against an extended finger |24 on the holding member ||2.

Hence, when the holding member is in `operative engagement with the latch plate |06, inward movement of either release bar will release this end of the head, and the upward movement thereof is followed by a release of the latching means at the other end as the pin 80 rides through the angular portions Bi lof the slots 19.

The tension-ing device 40 (Figs. l, 2 and 3) is carried by the head 23 for cooperation with the central portion of the spring 31 to place the rolls 26 and 21 under operative spring pressure. In the present instance, this device comprises an element |25 in the `form of a generally U-shaped detent lever having legs pivotally supported by ears |26 depending from opposite sides of a bracket |2|5a rigid with the head. The element |25 is designed to bear against and stress the spring 31 when the head is latched to the frame.

For adjusting or varying the stressing effect of the element |25 on the spring 31, a longitudinally shifta-ble stepped :plate or bar |21 is mounted to slide through apertures in longitudinally spaced depending lugs |28 on the bracket |2. The steps on the plate |21 are dened by longitudinally spaced recesses located at varying distances from the uplper wall of the head and adapted for selective yengagement with the upper edge of the detent element |25, the lower edge of the latter bearing against the spring 31. A hand actuator |28 is rigid with a plate |21, and projects outwardly therefrom through a slot |30 in the head for convenient manipulation.

Suitable means is provided for maintaining the detent element |25 yieldably in engagement with 6 any one of the recesses in the stepped plate |21'. In thepresent instance, this means comprises'a :flat leaf spring |3| rigid with one arm of the element |25 and bearing at its free end normally under a exed condition against the underside of the head 23.

In operation, as the shaft 62 is rotated to depress the head 23 rand engage the Wringer rolls 26 and 21, the pin 801, through the agency of the angular portions 8| of the slots 19, cams the head longitudinally to engage the latch members 15 and 1B. Further rotation of the shaft 62 deipresses the head 23, tensioning the spring 31 and, at the same time, effecting engagement of the latch plate |06 with the pin |01 and the shoulder ||3 with the plate |06. To release the rolls from 'operative'pressure engagement, the impact bars |20 are actuated to raise the trigger |24.

The tension imposed on the Wringer rolls 26 and 21 by the spring 31 may be selectively adjusted by shifting the stepped plate |21 longitudinally to locate the intermediate portion of the springr at different distances from the top wall of the head 23. Such adjustment of the plate |21 may be easily and quickly effected by means of the hand actuator |29. The spring i3! serves to maintain the plate |21 yieldably in any position of selected adjustment when the head 23 is released from the main frame of the wringer.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 408,015, led August 23, 1941, Patent No. 2,360,369, issued October 17, 1944.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wringer, the combination of a frame. including a iixed section and Aa separable head section mounted for movement into and out of operative engagement with respect to said xed section, wringer rollsjournaled in said frame, a spring for placing said rolls under operative pressure, and means carried by said head section for tensioning said spring upon movement of said head section into operative engagement with said fixed section, said means including a member pivotally mounted on the underside of said head section and projecting therefrom for engaging said spring upon operative association of said head section with said xed section, a stepped plate slidably mounted between said head section and said member for selective manipulation to shift said member toward and away from said spring whereby to vary the stressing eect thereof on said spring in accordance with the position of said stepped plate.

2. In a wringer, in combination with a frame including a xed section and a separable head section mounted for movement into and out of operative engagementiwith said Xed section, wringer rolls journaled in said frame and a spring for placing said rolls under operative pressure when said head section is engaged, tension adjusting means for said spring including a detent member movably mounted on said head section and adapted to impart pressure to said spring, a stepped member adjustably mounted on said head section and formed with a series of stepped sunfaces selectively engageable with said rst mentioned member to vary the spacing of the latter from said xed section, and spring means for urging said first mentioned member yieldably into engagement with said stepped member whereby to maintain the latter in selected position of adjustment.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame including a Xed section and a separable head section mounted for `movement into and out of operative engagement with said `fixed section, vertically spaced parallel Wringer rolls journaled in said frame, the upper roll being supported for vertical movement, a bow spring acting at opposite ends to urge said upper roll against said lower roll, a bracket secured to the underside of said head section, said head section and bracket being formed with a longitudinal slot, a stepped plate slidably guided in said bracket for longitudinal adjustment, and being formed along its lower edge with a longitudinal series of recesses of progressively increasing distances from said head section, a hand actuator rigid with said stepped plate and projecting upwardly through said slot, and a detent lever engageable selectively in said recesses and against the central portion of said spring to vary the spacing of said spring from said head section. I

4. In a wringer, the combinationfof a irame including a fixed section and a separable head section mounted for movement into and out of operative engagement with said fixed section, vertically spaced parallel wringer rolls journaled in said frame, the upper roll being supported at opposite ends in bearing `blocks vertically slidable in said frame, a bow spring engaging said blocks to urge said upper roll against said lower roll, a bracket secured to the underside of said head section and having laterally spaceddepending ears at one end and longitudinally spaced ,depending guide lugs, said head section and bracket being formed with a longitudinal slot, a stepped plate slidably guided in said lugs against the underside of said bracket for longitudinal adjustment, and being formed along its lower edge with a longitudinal series of recesses of progressively increasing distances from said head section, a hand actuator rigid with said stepped plate and projecting upwardly through said slot, and a U-shaped detent lever having legs pivoted to said ears and having a cross member engageable at the upper edge selectively in said recesses and the lower edge against the central portion of said spring to vary the spacing -of said spring from said head section.

5.1In a wringer, the combination of a frame including a xed section and a separable head section mounted for movement into and out of operative engagement with said xed section, vertically spaced parallel wringer rolls journaled in said frame, the upper roll being supported at opposite ends in bearing blocks vertically slidable in said frame, apertured plates secured to and extending upwardly from said blocks, a bow spring extending at opposite ends through said plates and engaging said blocks to urge said upper roll against said lower roll, a bracket secured to the underside of said, head section and having laterally spaced depending ears at one end and longitudinally spaced depending guide lugs, said head section and bracket being formed with a longitudinal slot, a stepped plate slidably guided in said lugs against the underside of said bracket for longitudinal adjustment, and being formed along its lower edge with a longitudinal series of recesses of progressively increasing distances from said head section, a hand actuator rigid with said stepped plate and projecting upwardly through said slot, a U-shaped detent lever having legs pivoted to said ears and having a cross member engageable at the upper edge selectively in said recesses and the lower edge against the central portion of said spring to vary the spacing of said spring from said head section, and a leaf spring connected to said lever and engaging the interior of said head section to urge said lever yieldably against said stepped plate.

SIMON E. SCHROEDE'R.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,307,367 Etten Jan. 5, 1943 2,329,115 Goulooze Sept. 7, 1943 

